ISLAMABAD: In a significant development, the Judicial Commission of Pakistan has approved the permanent appointments of chief justices to all four provincial high courts, despite internal opposition from some members of the commission.
The decisions were made during a series of meetings chaired by Chief Justice Yahya Afridi at the Supreme Court. According to official sources, Justice Junaid Ghaffar was unanimously appointed as the Chief Justice of the Sindh High Court. Meanwhile, Justice Attique Shah (Peshawar High Court), Justice Rozi Khan (Balochistan High Court), and Justice Sarfaraz Dogar (Islamabad High Court) were selected by majority votes.
While the appointments mark a significant step in judicial administration, they were not without controversy. Senior Supreme Court judge Justice Mansoor Ali Shah voiced his objection, arguing that the commission should prioritize a ruling on the pending 26th Constitutional Amendment case before proceeding with new judicial appointments. Justice Muneeb Akhtar, along with PTI’s two representatives and the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa law minister, supported his stance.
Despite the dissent, the commission moved forward. Official communication from the commission’s secretary has since been sent to the Prime Minister’s Office, notifying it of the decisions. The correspondence urges the government to fulfill the remaining constitutional procedures in accordance with sub-clause 8 of Article 175A.
These appointments, once formally ratified, will shape the leadership of the country’s high courts amid ongoing political and legal debates over judicial independence and constitutional interpretation.
